Downing Street has rejected the Trump administration's criticism of 'two-tier policing' in the UK, following a US state department post that offered condolences to the family of murdered teenager Henry Nowak. The prime minister's spokesman said the government did not recognise the state department's view, echoing justice secretary David Lammy, who earlier stated it did not align with his experience.
The Liberal Democrats condemned the US intervention as 'flagrant foreign interference that seeks to fan the flames of division' and called for the US ambassador to be summoned. However, No 10 insisted the UK-US relationship remained 'incredibly strong' despite the disagreement, declining to say whether the US would be rebuked diplomatically.
The US state department posted on X on Thursday, saying: 'Ideological conditioning and two-tiered policing are glaring symptoms of civilisational decline. They must be rejected across the West. The United States sends our condolences to the family of Henry Nowak and the people of the United Kingdom at this troubling time.'
The 18-year-old student was handcuffed by Hampshire police as he lay dying from stab wounds, after his killer Vickrum Digwa falsely accused him of racist abuse. Digwa was jailed for life with a minimum of 21 years. The case has been seized upon by figures including Elon Musk and Reform UK leader Nigel Farage as evidence of bias against white people, accusations they have been accused of exploiting.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer met Nowak's family on Thursday, promising to take 'whatever action is required to right the wrongs'. The police watchdog is examining the officers' conduct. Eleven officers and a police dog were injured on Tuesday during a protest about Nowak's death, which involved far-right agitators.
